Monitor Questions

[Leftenant Moley]

So I decided i might just upgrade my monitor to an LCD to reduce damage to eyes and use the CRT as a spare to the 6 year old shared comp.

My current monitor is a samsung syncmaster 793df set at 1152 by 864, 75 hertz refresh(highest for this resolution). What settings can i change to reduce Damage to the eyes. I have just increased the contrast on the monitor from 55 to 85 and can already feel it much easier on the eyes. What brightness setting should I use and should i increase the contrast even more?

Also the monitor I'm thinking of getting is a LCD 19" DVI 8ms response. What other specs should i look for? does refresh matter on LCD's?

[Gawain of Orkeny]

8ms seems kind of slow to me. Most of the monitors im looking at ar 5 or 6ms.

[LeftEyeNine]

- Every 20 minutes or so, take a minute to focus your eyes as far as infinite, say, out of your window.

- Since there is something to focus on the monitor -that's why you are infront of a PC- you blink less frequently. And this shortening frequency of blinking slows down the mechanic part of the tear film production of your eyes. IF your eyes are dry, they go red, feel as if there is a foreign substance in which eventually tires out them. So, I know it's hard but try blinking more whenever you remember that you need to while you are looking at your monitor.

- Also technically lower brightness and higher refresh rates are better for your eyes.

Edit: They recommend 4 ms delay rated LCD monitors for gamers.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

They recommend 4 ms delay rated LCD monitors for gamers

Gah. More money no doubt? Does having a high definition monitor have a better picture when you play games?

[LeftEyeNine]

I think it is related with "catching up the movement/action" going on the screen. This may be a bad guess though, I don't have a technical basis saying that. It's just what I heard and related to IMO.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I think it is related with "catching up the movement/action" going on the screen.

Thats what it is alright. The quicker the better.

[screwtype]

I'm not sure if monitors cause eye "damage" but you can certainly get eyestrain from them. I'm not sure that getting an LCD will reduce eyestrain either. From what I've seen of them, I find them quite a bit harder to look at than CRT's.

But for what it's worth, here's my hint on reducing eyestrain: get the biggest monitor you can afford, then set it back to a position that is as far as possible from your face but which still enables you to comfortably read the text. This makes the monitor smaller in your overall field of vision in relation to the surroundings, ie you are not getting so saturated with light from an artificial light source.

Also, make sure no ambient light is falling on the monitor face because this makes the screen harder to see. If there is a natural light source in the room, ie window, try to have the monitor facing away from it rather than toward it so you don't get reflective glare. Ditto for any artificial light source in the room if possible.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

But for what it's worth, here's my hint on reducing eyestrain: get the biggest monitor you can afford, then set it back to a position that is as far as possible from your face but which still enables you to comfortably read the text. This makes the monitor smaller in your overall field of vision in relation to the surroundings, ie you are not getting so saturated with light from an artificial light source.

Dont all moms teach theiir kids not to sit too close to the tv?

[screwtype]

Yeah, but not everybody listens to their mom

[caravel]

If your current resolution is only giving you 75Hz lower it to the next one down (1024*768 in your case I think), this should give you an 85Hz refresh at least. There is a big difference between 85Hz and 75Hz as far as eyestrain is concerned. Personally I find 75Hz uncomfortable and 60Hz intolerable. I can see the flicker at 75Hz. Though I know a few people who can sit in fron of 60Hz and not see the flicker. They only realise it's there after a few minutes when their eyes get sore.

[doc_bean]

If your current resolution is only giving you 75Hz lower it to the next one down (1024*768 in your case I think), this should give you an 85Hz refresh at least. There is a big difference between 85Hz and 75Hz as far as eyestrain is concerned. Personally I find 75Hz uncomfortable and 60Hz intolerable. I can see the flicker at 75Hz. Though I know a few people who can sit in fron of 60Hz and not see the flicker. They only realise it's there after a few minutes when their eyes get sore.

LCD monitors don't go past 75 Hz I believe. I find 70Hz tolerable, but get a splitting headache with minutes when lokking at a 60HZ display.

Another hint: don't up the resolution too much (make the text size too small), I find many peple turn their resolution up to the point where the text is virtually illegible by me (I haven't got the greatest eyesight, mind you). If a book were printed that small peopel would complain but for their monitor it's fine

I also find CRTs more comfortable then LCDs, for the record...

[caravel]

My current monitor is a samsung syncmaster 793df set at 1152 by 864, 75 hertz refresh(highest for this resolution). What settings can i change to reduce Damage to the eyes.

Also the monitor I'm thinking of getting is a LCD 19" DVI 8ms response. What other specs should i look for? does refresh matter on LCD's?

He wanted advice on the refresh rate of the CRT monitor not the LCD that he's thinking of getting, if understood correctly.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

He wanted advice on the refresh rate of the CRT monitor not the LCD that he's thinking of getting, if understood correctly.

I dont think so. Who cares about the one your replacing. And what resolution is best for MTW2? And whats better?

1280 x 1024
1920 x 1200
1680 x 1050
1600 x 1200
1440 x 900
Its so confusing.

[Leftenant Moley]

A flat panel monitor means it will be further a way from the eyes so thats a bonus.

I will look at 5ms response rates and better

I got contrast up to 95 and brightness down to 5 and can see colours on monitor fine.

change res to 1024*760(or whatever) and refresh to 85hz

So higher refresh is good
Higher contrast is good
and lower brightness is good

[doc_bean]

I dont think so. Who cares about the one your replacing. And what resolution is best for MTW2? And whats better?

1280 x 1024
1920 x 1200
1680 x 1050
1600 x 1200
1440 x 900
Its so confusing.

Look in you monitor manual for the native resolution of your monitor (it should be marked), it's best to play in this resolution (though I forgot why ).

That's if it's an LCD monitor, for a CRT one, just go as high as your videocard will allow (with decent framerate and effects).